Lee Health hospitals accommodating high capacity levels

Jan 9, 2025 By CJ HADDAD 4 min read

Lee County’s leading healthcare system is experiencing high capacity amidst a growing number of individuals experiencing flu and respiratory illnesses.

Director of the Emergency Department at Lee Memorial Marcie Stidams said during a Wednesday press conference that the region is accustomed to seeing higher capacity levels during seasonal months, as well as the growing year-round population in Southwest Florida.

“We want our community to know that we are built for this,” Stidams said. “We are staffed for this. We are trained for this. We will provide the medical care that everyone needs.”

Stidams said that on Tuesday, Lee Health saw 951 patients visit its emergency departments. Overall, hospitals are at over 90% capacity, she said.

“This is expected during this time of year,” Stidams said. “Emergency departments may have long wait times for reading conditions, as care teams treat the most critically ill patients first.”

Individuals can visit LeeHealth.org to see in real-time how busy each hospital is and what an expected wait time could look like. There also is a similar function for Lee Convenient Care locations.

“I encourage everyone to utilize this resource,” Stidams said.

Lee Health has various options available for those that need a trip to either the hospital or medical facility, and Lee Health officials said it’s useful to know the best place to go to get care in the most timely manner.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Iahn Gonsenhauser said he wants Lee Health patients and the community as a whole to understand the many options for care at their disposal.

“Our hospitals all stand ready to help patients in need,” Gonsenhauser said. “We have acute care facilities across the county that are available to patients twenty-four-seven.”

Lee Health has more than 1,500 inpatient beds at those facilities, with Gonsenhauser adding that the system is prepared and continues to prepare for the growing needs of the community.

Gonsenhauser said a fairly new program, “Hospital at Home,” offers patients the opportunity to receive hospital-level care in the comfort of their own home.

“It’s not an opportunity for everybody, but for many of our patients, it may well be the best place for them to receive care,” he said. “And this gives us a whole new option and opportunity for supporting patients in their time of need, and in an innovative way.”

Gonsenhauser said while Emergency Departments should be utilized for serious ailments and injuries, and act as a failsafe for acute care and primary care, individuals can avoid emergency room visits, long wait times, and increased cost.

He encouraged patients to visit the Lee Health website and start with the “Get Care Symptom Tracker” where you can input your symptoms and receive details as to where the best environment to visit may be.

“This can help you get the treatment that you need, and can direct you to urgent care, a Telehealth appointment, or, for most serious concerns, the emergency department,” Gonsenhauser said, adding that Lee Telehealth is available at any time via a smartphone.

Referrals and prescriptions can be made via Telehealth appointments.

“These visits have patients speaking with physicians and other providers in minutes,” Gonsenhauser said. “And it can help you get the care you need wherever you are.”

There are also Lee Convenient Care/walk-in clinics as options that are open every day where no appointments are necessary. Golisano Children’s Health Center in Naples also offers urgent care for kids.

Preventive Measures

“As we see illnesses circulating in our community, we want to encourage everybody to take the necessary precautions to protect both themselves and their loved ones,” Gonsenhauser said.

Tips include frequent hand-washing and using hand sanitizer. If you are at-risk, or not feeling well, wearing a mask can help protect you, Gonsenhauser said.

If you are feeling mild symptoms of viral illness, Gonsenhauser said it’s best to stay home and take the necessary measures, such as resting and staying hydrated.

The increased number of flu and respiratory illnesses have been noticeable to start the year, Lee Health officials said. Some causes of that may be seasonal variation in the flu, and a lower number of individual patients becoming immunized.

As for whether or not this will be a record year for flu in Southwest Florida, Gonsenhauser said, “It may be a record year as the numbers are starting to bear out. We stand ready to provide whatever care may be required by increased levels of flu.”